you spin me right round

Mercedes’ electric G-Wagon is more capable than the gas version

With four motors, deeper fording, and more power, you can forget about the gas version.

Roberto Baldwin – Apr 24, 2024 10:30 am | 123

Electric power has not robbed the G-Wagon of its off-road skills. If anything, it has enhanced them. Credit: Mercedes-Benz

The Mercedes G-Wagon, a very capable off-roader typically purchased by people who never intend to take it anywhere near dirt, is getting an electric upgrade.

Unveiled in Beverly Hills—the most fitting of locations—the 2025 G 580 with EQ Technology spun its way onto the scene. The all-electric G-Wagon sports a 116 kWh capacity battery pack, four motors (one for each wheel), and a new sound system to replace the gas motor, called the G-Roar. Sadly, there's no word on price, delivery date, or range. But on paper, its impressive specs make it better than the ICE version off-road.

For serious off-roaders likely not residing in Beverly Hills, the luxury off-roader's four independent motors offer true torque vectoring and electronic differential locks. Each motor is coupled with a two-speed transmission for a reduced gear low range. The ideal use for this is rock crawling. In fact, there's an actual "Rock" crawling mode in the G 580. Mercedes is not playing.

To get it over hills and obstacles, the EV has an approach angle of 32 degrees, a departure angle of 30.7 degrees, and a 20.3-degree breakover angle. If you do happen to momentarily high-center on a boulder, a proprietary carbon fiber composite cover that the automaker says is more rigid than aluminum or steel protects the battery pack and motors. Plus, it's lighter. At 127 pounds (58 kg), Mercedes says it would have been three times heavier if it had been made from steel.

The Mercedes ladder frame that is part of the G-Wagon—essentially a body-on-frame system—is still there but in a slightly modified and reinforced fashion. The suspension also carries over from the gas counterpart, with a few changes. The same double-wishbone suspension is up front, and a solid rear axle has been redesigned to accommodate the electric motors. All four motors are mounted to the frame and connected to the wheels via dual-joint driveshafts that, even at full compression, keep the wheel camber the same, according to Mercedes. In off-roading, you want a tire's contact patch to stay the same, especially when things get a bit extreme.

To battle bodies of water (perhaps the LA river will overflow at some point), the electric G 580 can ford through up to 33.5 inches (850 mm) of water. That's 5.9 inches (150 mm) more than the gas-powered G 550 and AMG G 63 can manage. On hills, the G EV can handle angles of up to 35 degrees without slipping.

Finally, the electric G-Wagon can spin in a circle, as we saw in videos from CES this year. It can do so twice on dirt or loose gravel. It's a great way to forget everything you've learned about three-point turns when you realize that you've gone the wrong way and want to turn around. It also gives the ability to turn the vehicle while one of the rear wheels is stationary, which can help in tight corners on narrow trails.

For those less inclined to potentially scratch the exterior of their new luxury electric G-Wagon, the 580 also ships with a Trail mode in addition to the usual Sport, Comfort, and Individual settings.

Those four motors equal 579 hp (432 kW) and 859 lb-ft (1,165 Nm) of torque that can propel the vehicle from 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds.

While we don't know the range, we do know that the vehicle has been slightly altered compared to the gas version to reduce drag. A spoiler on the roof, a slightly raised hood, A-pillar cladding, and aero wheels help make the vehicle more aerodynamic.

Mercedes is still rolling on a 400 V system with AC charging topping off at 11 kW and DC fast-charging supported up to 200 kW. The G-Wagon will initially ship with CCS support but will eventually switch over to the NACS charging port. In the meantime, adaptors should be available from Mercedes by the end of the summer for accessing the Tesla charging network.

Inside, you get the Mercedes luxury you've come to expect from the brand, including legacy switches. The differential lock switch has been replaced with the G-Steering and G-Turn features. Differential "locking" is now handled automatically via software as the vehicle sees fit, based on driving terrain.

When asked about autonomous driving capabilities, Michael Schiebe, CEO of Mercedes AMG, said the G-Wagon is a driver's vehicle, and those features were not a priority.

Why did Mercedes decide to make the electric G-Wagon the best G-Wagon? "I wanted to correct you, but I cannot because in off-road capabilities, it's better," he said. The CEO said the decision to add four motors to the vehicle, each with a two-speed gearbox, instead of a dual motor setup, was because "it's just superior technology."

The by-product of that was the G-Turn, which, he admits, is fun.

Inside, both the dash cluster and infotainment screen are housed in 12.3-inch displays. A dedicated off-road dirt-themed layout with vehicle tilt levels and details about power distribution is available for those moments when the incredibly capable G-Wagon goes off the beaten path.

One fun feature we were unable to test at the unveiling was the transparent hood. With the 360 cameras, you can see any road blocked by the front of the vehicle (a technology first demonstrated a decade ago by Land Rover). It's meant for off-roading, but who hasn't accidentally driven over a cement block in a parking lot by pulling forward instead of reversing?

A pair of Mercedes G-Wagons parked on a salt flat. — Credit: Mercedes-Benz

Pricing and availability for the US market haven't been announced, but we expect the Edition One launch version of the EV G-Wagon will be slightly south of $200,000, with availability likely during the second half of 2024. That's just enough time for the Beverly Hills set to place an order and dream of a weekend where they'll use all the capabilities of the electric G-Class.

Listing image: Mercedes-Benz

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